Free Wanderers by Susan Kim Page B

Another was slight, with dark hair pasted flat across his brow; for no reason, he giggled and whispered to himself as he chewed a tattered thumbnail. The last towered over the others. Hulking and silent, he was bigger than anyone in camp. Although his face was in deep shadow, Eli could see his expression was witless and crude.
    â€œWho’s this?” the first one asked Asha. His tone was friendly, but his smile grew even more aggressive. He hadn’t taken his eyes off Eli.
    â€œThis is Eli,” Asha said. “Why don’t you say hello to them, Eli? You never know. You might need their help one day.”
    â€œWe’re all out of candy, Eli,” the first one drawled. “Sorry.”
    Eli felt his shoulders tensing up at the joke. “I’ll get by.”
    â€œYeah, sure you will. I was just playing with you. I’m Lewt.”
    He extended a hand. After a moment, Eli clasped it. He wasn’t sure, but he thought Lewt held the handshake a moment too long, squeezing before he let go.
    â€œThis here’s Tahlik,” Lewt said, indicating the giggling boy, who chewed his nail harder after the introduction. “And this big fella’s Quell.” The giant blinked in acknowledgment.
    â€œThey ain’t the sharpest tools,” Lewt said, as if in confidence. “But you can’t travel alone in this world, can you, Eli?”
    â€œSuppose not.”
    â€œYou know not. Look at all the support you got.” He gave an expansive hand wave to the campsite that lay in the distance. By the light of a large bonfire, townspeople could be seen moving about, preparing dinner. “Though you might keep a better eye on pretty here, to see she doesn’t wander away.”
    At this, Asha giggled, and again, Eli felt a wave of tension.
    â€œWe been looking after her fine,” he said. “And her name’s Asha.”
    â€œSure you have. And that’s a nice name. I was just playing with you, Eli. You know, between us, maybe I’m a little envious. Maybe I’d like to be part of a big band like you got here, myself. People taking care of each other like you do.”
    â€œIs that right?”
    â€œSure. We get a little lonely on the road, Tahlik and Quell and me, truth be told.”
    Eli just looked at the other boy and said nothing.
    â€œGirly says you’re all going to a place called Mundreel. Where they give away food, and everybody lives to be thirty or something.” He chuckled at the absurdity, and after a moment, his two friends joined in. “That must be a long ways, ain’t it?”
    Annoyed, Eli shot a glance at Asha. It wasn’t a secret where they were headed; still, he didn’t like that these strangers knew. He shrugged without answering.
    Lewt continued to stare at Eli with a shrewd eye, sizing him up and assessing his place in the scheme of things. Then he glanced away, as if he had come to a conclusion.
    â€œWho’s the boss around here, Eli?”
    Something told Eli not to speak the full truth. “The boss? No one special.”
    â€œEvery place got a boss. Somebody’s got to tell the others what to do. Right, fellas?”
    Although Eli didn’t think this was funny, Tahlik giggled even louder, nodding his head. Even Quell, the big one, seemed to smile as he stepped closer to Lewt.
    Someone else was laughing at this remark. It was Asha, dancing around by herself.
    â€œThat’s funny! Don’t you think that’s funny, Eli? Why don’t you stop being silly and tell him Rafe’s in charge? He’s the boss, you know that.”
    Eli felt his face flush. But Lewt was already ignoring him, looking past him as if he no longer existed.
    â€œSo where’s Rafe?”
    Before Eli could respond, someone did it for him.
    â€œRight here.” Rafe had wandered up behind them, squinting in the light of a torch. “What’s the problem?”
    Eli began to explain, then decided